The Healthiest Pasta There Is… ZOODLES!

You guys, I have been all about cooking at home lately. I know, I know — I go in waves. I cook at home every night for weeks on end, and then I eat out every night for weeks on end.

(Remember my New Years’ Resolution, anyone? I ate at home every single night in January! #boom.)

ZOODLES!

What can I say? I’m trying to find my #BALANCE in this crazy cooking (and schedule-juggling) world! But one thing we know stays the same no matter where I choose to eat… It’s gotta be healthy.

Part of this is due to the fact that I enjoy healthy food and put a huge emphasis on organic/local/non-GMO/from the earth/all that jazz, and the other part of it is due to the fact that I can’t eat crap because it makes me feel terrible.

And not in the normal, “Oh, I feel terrible when I eat a greasy plate of fries too!!!” kind of way… but more in a food intolerance, IBS, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, bloating, very poor digestion kind of way.

I have to be real careful if I want to maintain feeling my best. And feeling my best is my numero uno priority in life. You guys know this!

But that doesn’t mean I can’t also have fun with food and enjoy what I’m eating. I’ve learned over the years that for me it’s all about enjoyment. Food is fuel, but it’s also a course of CONNECTION, creativity, and deliciousness.

I think we can have it ALL (health, connection and flavor) — it just takes putting in a little bit of work to find the best dishes that work for everyone — and not only us health nuts of the world, so that we can share with the people we love!

Luckily I do a lot of that work for you (hehe), by testing and re-testing recipes until they taste perfecto and insanely delish!

This one is actually pretty simple… ZOODLES! Zucchini noodles. The shockingly easy and healthy pasta alternative that will make you go, “Woah, is this REALLY a veggie noodle?”

Yes, yes it is. 🙂

I am so stoked to have partnered with Best Foods for their new line of Carefully Craftedvegan-friendly Dressing and spread for this recipe! The beauty of being label-free in my diet now is that I can try all sorts of things when brands I’ve known about forever release organic, non-GMO, cholesterol-free, artificial color free, egg-free, etc. products.

The verdict? I’m obsessed. The Spicy Chipotle flavor is most definitely my fav (such a good zing), but in this recipe I used the Roasted Garlic flavor! They also have Original, and I vote they come out with more because I want to use them with absolutely every healthy sauce I make now!

1/2 cup freshly grated cheese of your choice (I went cheese-less, but I know a lot of you will want cheese!)

Method:

Spiralize your zucchini (this site gives a great how-to if you wanna learn how & aren’t sure where to start!) so that you have thin little noodles to work with to slop the saucy sauce onto!

To make your pesto, you’re simply going to put the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, mayo, and optional cheese into a blender or high speed food processor. If you need to add a little bit of water or extra virgin olive oil, do so. But the mayo should make it blend-able enough!

In a large mixing bowl, stir the pesto in with your zoodles until all is mixed well and evenly.

Once the recipe is plated, add your chopped tomatoes and walnuts to taste.

Voila! Enjoy.

And it’s EASY PEASY — right?! And so yummy!!!

I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that Best Foods has this organic, non-GMO, free from artificial colors / eggs / cholesterol spread now! This is just one of the yummy things you can make with it.

Thoughts?! Who’s tried zoodles?! Who wants to try?!

*This post was created in partnership with Best Foods and FeedFeed – all opinions expressed are my own, as always. 🙂